Floating deck structure for oil storage tanks



A. M GRIFFIN TRUCTUR Feb. 28, 1939.

E FOR OIL STORAGE TANKS FLOATING DECK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 28, 1936 11:] NTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Feb. 28, 1939.

A. GRIFFIN FLOATING DECK- STRUCTURE FOR OIL STORAGE TANKS 2 Sheets-sheaf. 2

Filed Jan. 28, 1936 ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 28, 1939 UNITED sir-Ares; PATENT OFFICE" FLOATING DECK STRUCTURE. FOR, OIL

. STORAGE TANKS Alvah M. Griffin, Los Angeles, Calif;

Application. January 28, 1936, Serial Nor 61,186

3 Claims. (Cl; 220-26)"- While this. invention relates generally totfloattivel-y connected withthesealing ringsR andR', ing. deck structures. it; more particularly relates as hereinatter described. to an improved seal applicableto a floating; deck Said sealing, ring Ris formed. of a. plurality of for sealing the space between the deck and a angularl-y bent plates having depending fiat por- 5, tankwhereby the gas generatedinthe tank betions 2 which. are adapted'to frictionally'engagc low the deck may not escape; the inner side OfLllhB Wal-luGf tank. T, curved in- An object is to providein a1 floating deck structermediate portions 3- so formed as to readily ture a sealing device of annular formv carried by surmount, and move over rivet heads and other the: deck, and embodying an upper and: a lower projections on the tank wall and. inwardly pro-- to series of segmental sections hingedly. connected J'ecting portions 4 overlying! the top- 0t. deck D.

' and'independently yieldable for coniorminggtothe The sections of the lower sealing ring B have inner. surface ofthe tank. wall andformovement upwardly projecting fl Portions 5 engag the over rivet heads, lapped joints.- and other protank wall and curved lower portions-6 correspondjections in the tank, and a flexible curtain of ing in. m dp pO t0 the portions 3 0f the in; asbestos or" the like secured at opposite margins sections of the upper ring R. 16.

' tothe deck and to; the two: series of segmental Correspond se s of rings R and R are sections. in a. manner: which. will: effectively seal. hin edly connecte y means of hinges H havin the joints between said sections against leakage Dintles n- Portions of rings of gas, g R and R. The flexible seal S is'attached at its Another object is to provide-a; noveltandiim-i inner margin t pp side of deck D by 20 proved means for-yieldably mounting the sealmeans of. bolts 9 and either to the upper ring R ing rings on the deck for engagement with the r to the l w r rin R as h wn n Fi s. 1 nd wall of a tank. Other objects may appear as the depending p the manner of mo n n he description progresses, ring supporting means. As shown in Fig. 5 the In the accompanying drawings 1 have shown a outer margin of the seal S may be held by cleats 25 preferred form of mechanism fer the purpose Hi and bOltS H With their heads countersunk in described and embodying the invention, in which; recesses l2 on the outer side Of the portions Z 01 Fig. l is a fragmentary sectional elevation of 5 0f the ring sections, as the Case y In an oil storage tank with a floating deck strucy event the sealing member S is so formed and ture and sealing mechanism operatively mounted secured in position as to close the space between 30 therein and supported on the bottom of the deck; the deck D and the sealing rings a st ea e Fig. 2 is a sectional plan of the same on line of gas from the tank T, and is sufficiently flexible 2-2 of Fig. 1; to permit the movement of the deck in the tank Fi 3 i a iew similar t Fig 1 b t; showing and to a slight extent relative to the sealing rings 5 the sealing means mounted on the top of the R and deck; The rings R and R. are operatively supported Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section of the tank Wall onthe deck by mean of a pllllality of radially and Sealing rings Showing the adaptation of the ad ustable rods l3 WhlCh are yieldably held on a seal to lapped joints and other projections withpair brackets either depending from or 40 in the tank; and tending upwardly from the deck D and secured 40 Fig 5 is a fragmentary Section showing a at their bases to thg ibottgm 0; go the top of the method attaching the flexible seal to the sealing i ig g I Lmks are rings for preventing binding of the seal on the pm) a y or} 6 ex remltles of brackets l4 and are similarly plvoted at I! to spaced points tank on the rods l3 and said rods extend through aper- Referrm'g to Flgs' 1 and 3 1t W111 h observed tures l8 in brackets l9 and carry springs 20 outthat regard es of Whether the Seal 15 mounted wardly of the brackets l9 which compress between on the top or t e bo of the deck D Within the brackets l9 and collars 2| secured to the rods. an oil storage tank T the mechanism is substan- Thus aid springs tend to urge the rods outwardtially similar and includes: an upper annula ly and permit the yielding thereof to a suitable 50 sealing ring R and a lower similar ring R, each extent inwardly. of which is composed of a plurality of segmental The rods 13 are bent upwardly or downwardly sections I, I, etc., of metal, a flexible seal of'anas the case may be, as at 22 and are each comnular form, as at S, and a plurality of yieldable monly pivoted at 23 to a pair of oppositely dis- 5 supporting devices carried on deck D and operaposed links 24 and 25 which are pivoted at their other extremities, as at 26 and 21, respectively, to fixtures 23 and 29 positioned on opposite sides of the hinges H. Fixtures 28 and 29 overlie the seal member S and are attached to and may serve as means for holding the seal member on the portions 2 and forming the skirts of the sealing rings R, and R. Thus, as shown in Fig. 4, the rings R and R are independently adjustable on the portions 22 of rods l3 for movement over lapped joints in the wall of the tank or projecting rivet heads and other obstructions without completely disengaging the sealing rings from the tank wall.

As many of the supporting rods l3 may be used as may be necessary in each case and two or more of the sections of rings R and R may be joined together as by means of an arcuate or flexible metallic circular band 30 as shown in Fig. 1 or the band I0 shown in Fig. 3 and in either case attached to the skirts of the ring sections.

When'the ring supporting means is attached to the bottom of the deck the seal S will overlie the connections between the rods I3 and the ring sections but when said means is attached to the top of the deck the seal S will underlie said connections. The inwardly extending portions 4 of the ring sections serve to prevent the collection of water and dirt on the seal S and to deflect said elements inwardly onto the deck from which they may be removed when necessary.

What I claim is:

'1. In a floating deck structure for oil storage tanks, the combination with a tank and a deck movable therein, of a sealing mechanism for sealing the space between said tank and said deck against the leakage of gas and including a. pair of sectional sealing rings hingedly connected together and formed with curved upper and lower portions and adapted to frictionallyengage the Wall of said tank, a flexible curtain having its inner edge secured to said deck and its outer edge secured to one of said sealing rings, and means for yieldably supporting said sealing mechanism on said deck, said supporting means including a plurality of members movably held on said deck and dual connections between each of said members and said sealing rings.

2. In a floating deck structure for oil storage tanks, the combination with a tank and a deck movable therein, of a sealing mechanism for sealing the space between said tank and said deck against the leakage of gas and including a pair of sectional sealing rings hingedly connected together and formed with curved upper and lower portions and adapted to frictionally engage the wall of said tank, a flexible curtain having its inner edge secured to said deck and its outer edge secured to one of said sealing rings, means for yieldably supporting said sealing mechanism on said deck, said supporting means including a plurality of members movably held on said deck and dual connections between each of said members and said sealing rings, and tensioning means for constantly urging said rings into engagement with the tank wall.

3. In a floating deck structure for oil storage tanks, a tank, a deck movable therein and a sealing mechanism for sealing the space between the deck and tank including a pair of sealing rings arranged to engage the wall of the tank, means hingedly connecting said rings with one another, a flexible sealing membrane between the deck and one of said rings, and spring loaded means supporting and bodily urging said rings into engagement with said tank and permitting independent yielding of said rings relative to said tank, said last named means including links pivoted to said rings on opposite sides of said hinge means and a laterally yieldable support to which said links are pivoted at points spaced inwardly of said hinge means.

ALVAI-I M. GRIFFIN. 

